Fuji GS645 Hints & Tips

[Bobfrance]

Hi Folk,

I've just bought a Fuji GS645 through ebay. I really like the feel of the camera and I'm made up to be getting a bit of MF action again!

I've only used MF once before (Mamiya TLR, about 15 years ago at college) and am a little rusty to say the least, so any little tips on using the Fuji and MF in general would be most appreciated.

I develop my own B&W but I haven't done the big stuff before - other than adjusting the width of my spool is ther anything else I need to know? How do you go about removing the paper backing on the 120 roll of Dela 100 before processing, for instance.


Many thanks,

Bob.

 

[Bobfrance]

Bump!

Just in case any Fuji or MF experts have come online. 🙂

 

[FrankS]

Hi Bob, I've done a lot of 120 fim developing and am waiting on a GS645 myself. In a darkroom or in a changing bag, rip off the sticky tape holding the exposed film on the spool. Unroll the paper by pulling it and letting the roll rotate in your other hand, until you feel the film begin. Rip off the paper backing to that point, then concentarte on getting the film started in the developing reel. Just let the paper backing fall away and at the end, rip it away from the film.

Practice by sacrificing a roll in the light to see what's happening.

Good luck!

 

[Bobfrance]

Thanks Frank!

That's just the kind of information I was after.
I assume the chemistry is the same?

I'd like to hear your thoughts on the GS645 when you get it. So far I really like the feel of it, the viewfinder is nicely positioned at the edge of the camera and is really big and bright. The compactness is brilliant and whilst the plastic casing isn't ideal it does keep the weight down. I think this camera has great potential as a travel camera.

Any tips yet anyone?

Bob.

 

[alecto]

There isn't much more to getting 120 on a spool than 35mm, except for a steeper learning curve, because the film has been so tightly wound around the spool it wants to stay in that shape, so it takes a bit of effort keeping it loose enough to get the end into the take up part of the spool. Be prepared to spend a good 20 minutes struggling to get it on when you first try... I know I did!

Another thing, make sure you can tell the backing film from the paper on the spool. Once I managed to wind most of the paper onto the spool before I realised it seemed a little too thin!

Also, a little off topic but has anyone else noticed that when you remove the small bit of tape that connects the backing paper to the film it gives off a really small amount of light, assume it's something to do with friction or static but I always worry it'll have an adverse effect on my images (It doesn't!). And i'm currently waiting on a GS645S myself.

Good luck!

 

[Xmas]

Well it is more difficult than 35mm, the symptoms of failure are little 'sprites' in the sky... If you have a changing bag it is more difficult, easy in d room.

When you break the seal in the dark you unroll, until you get to the film then you will have two coils being formed, the film and the paper, eventually you get to the pressure sensitive tape attaching the start of the film to the backing paper. Tear this off slooooowly avoids the electric display, fold the tape back on to the film helps to support in the load the plastic spool step.

Load the film from the taped end, take care the film is light and kink sensitive, a kink will produce a silver image, of the kink.

220 is more length to kink, stay with 120 until you are an expert.

Noel

 

[FrankS]

Noel describes a different way of loading 120 film - completely separating the film from the paper backing before beginning. Whatever works, works, but I like the idea of keeping the film protected on the roll at least until the film has been successfully inserted onto the reel. Then I let the roll drop (in a controlled way) onto the table I'm working over, and begin ratchetting the film onto the reel. There is less handling of the bare film this way. But as I said, whatever works for you, works.

 

[Xmas]

Frank

You can read my English!

I forgot to say not to touch the film except at the edges, the finger prints will show, the film will spring into a coil by itself, so you dont need to handle, other than as a coil edge, at least until you get to the pressure sensitive tape end. Never thought to try Franks method, oh dear.

When you get to the pressure sensitive tape end then depending on the camera you should have some amount of film clear of an image, so you can handle, the first 1/4 inch, the folded over pressure tape allows easier handling as the end Frank starts with can 'dissappear'. But I'm not proscriptive. Some people tear the tape off the film, rather then folding it over, never tried that.

With some practice it is easy, dont try it on your sisters wedding the 1st time...

I avoid 220, cannot get it easily anyway.

Noel

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Enjoy your GS645. It is a unique and wonderful camera! 🙂

Chris

 

[sepiareverb]

I'm with Noel- I start from the tape end- was told when learning way back when that the film was more tightly wound at that end- and seems to be the case IF the film has sat out of the camera for a while. That's something I prefer to do with all my films, let them sit out of the camera for at least a few hours. I find them easier to load on my metal reels that way, there is a consistent curl to them without flat spots. (does this make sense?) I do tend to get 'moons'about 5% of the time, and like Noel I find that they are in unexposed film area when loaded tape end first. I tear the tape, leaving half on the film and half on the backing paper. Watch for static sparks- I've never had them mark the film, but they lend a little excitement to the process.
Frank is right on the practice with a sacrificial roll- makes it endlessly easier, as this is a little more challenging than 35mm. There are some plastic reels that have large tabs at the starting point that can make 120 a lot easier- don't know the brand, but they are compatable with Paterson tanks & spools. We have a few of these at the college that I reserve for folks running 120.
I have never successfully loaded 220 onto a metal reel- so I never shot it in b&w, let the dip & dunk machine run my color 220.
Chemistry is of course the same- note that some Kodak Tri-X films are (or were) slightly different emulsions and had different times.

Frank- our postal services haven't delivered yet- but I'm checking daily.

 

[Bryce]

I have and regularly use a GS645s, and it is in fact my main camera.
Mine has been fairly reliable- but was in virtually unused condition when I bought it 3 years ago. The only repair it has needed was due to aging lubricants in the rangefinder mechanism, causing it to stick.
Loading 120 film onto reels is a little more trying than 35mm but is manageable.
I use stainless reels and have never used the plastic type, so bear that in mind while reading the rest of my post.
I load the reels in a darkroom. Once I open the seal, I allow the backing to roll itself up as I pull it off of the spool. Once I get to the film, I hold it out just enough to cut 45 degree corners on it with scissors, then start it onto the reel. After rolling the entire length of film onto the reel, allowing the backing to curl into its own little roll, I just use the scissors to cut the film from the backing and tuck the last of the film into the reel. The backing and spool I just drop on the floor until the lights come on.
From there, it is just like 35mm- dump the loaded reel into the tank, put the lid on, and develop.
Enjoy your new camera!

 

[Bobfrance]

Loads of useful info there for me to digest guys - thanks!

I may get the first roll professionally developed just to make sure the camera itself is okay, but as soon as I re-stock on chem I'll be having a bash at doing my own.

Just one other thing. The light meter seems to be a little intermittent on the camera I've changed the batteries and checked the contacts. Any other suggestions? Is this a common problem?



Bob.

 

[Maineiac]

Loads of useful info there for me to digest guys - thanks!

I may get the first roll professionally developed just to make sure the camera itself is okay, but as soon as I re-stock on chem I'll be having a bash at doing my own.

Just one other thing. The light meter seems to be a little intermittent on the camera I've changed the batteries and checked the contacts. Any other suggestions? Is this a common problem?



Bob.

During ten years in Europe, the GS645 was my most used/best loved camera. It went everywhere with me, even when I was also lugging a Pentax 6X7 or a Wista 4X5. Probably 75% of all my shots were taken with it.

It survives nearly anything, as I learned, including getting the front lens cell with shutter ring ripped off violently in whirling bicycle spokes in rural Brittany. (I repaired it myself with my little jewelers' screwdrivers on the kitchen table of our rented farmhouse that evening.) It's still working, though the rangefinder sometimes sticks when it hasn't been used in awhile (curable by a good whack with the heel of my hand). It's a little loosey goose around the joints now, but hey, after all it is a 16 year-old camera (which is like 112 in people years!), and it still has a much-honored place in my bag as a backup for my Mamiya 7.

Though your exposure/development techniques and light meter calibration may be different than mine, I always found that I got exposures that were perfect for my printing when the light meter in the view finder had both the + and the O lit. I mostly shot Delta 400 rated at 200. Unless the lighting was extreme and needed a lot of thoughtful correction, I got nearly perfect negs using that technique. Easy to print, full range of tones, etc.

I find 120 film easier to load in the darkroom on stainless steel Nikor reels than 35mm. I strip the backing away with my left hand, while letting the film curl loosely into the palm of my right hand. Then I tear it off the backing, and use the end with the tape (tape either torn off flush or folded over the end) to insert under the clip on the reel. Feel for the edges of the end under the clip and make sure it's reasonably centered on the reel--not too much to one side or the other. From there it's easy, just turn the reel and let the film feed itself on. You can check it while winding by pushing it backwards. If it pushes loosely, everything's OK. If you get a lot of resistance, it's probably stuck. Unwind it to the point where it's stuck and then continue winding again.

Good luck. The lens is superb.

Larry

 

[Bobfrance]

Thanks for taking the time to give me such a great insight into the camera.

I must say I think it's great and I've not even had any film developed yet!

Given it's reported robustness, I may well take it to the music festival on the Isle Of Skye next week. If it ever stops raining that is.

Bob.